yeah, i’m still confused here…
Should be this:
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Yep. I understand that a computer is an endpoint just like the AirLens in the context of what we are trying to achieve here; and a switch is a hub that allows for additional connections to a router.
An alternative to your diagram is connecting the AirLens directly to a router.
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absolutely. Just depends on how many ports the router has, and whether you need a switch at all.
I just know, in my house, I’ve got like 20 ethernet cables plugged into the switch. It’s a bit nuts. (A few of them go directly to wireless access points. Luxury to be able to do that.)
and @scotte1, I know you get it… was agreeing with you on wondering whether his switch was on the network at all. 
Seems like it’s just a plumbing union.
We’ll get this one sorted eventually!
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I just dropped in and scanned this thread. Multiple people have answered your question but I’m unsure if its understood yet by, normally, just cabling up two machines with network cable doesn’t produce a desired result. I will simply explain what others have already done in a different way.
Networks are built from layers. Each layer has a very specific role to play in order for two applications to communicate. You must build each of these layers correctly or applications won’t be able to talk to each other. The application itself does not implement the entire stack of layers but is dependent on the operating system and hardware underneath.
The first layer is physical. This layer is both the cabling between devices and the physical ports which are in each device. For copper ethernet it defines which wires transmit and which wires receive and at which speed. Almost all copper ethernet will auto-negotiate speed. Almost all ethernet switches will auto-negotiate the transmit and receive pins. It’s this auto-negotiation of speed and which pins to use which makes plugging network gear into a switch a better idea than doing it manually.
The second layer deals with how and when the physical layers can transmit data and how they are expected to receive it. For ethernet, each physical port has a hardware address burned into the port (limited use of programmable ports can be used) and ethernet deals in variable length frames, up to a maximum transmission unit, to move data around. You don’t really need to deal with any of this as its all hardcodded into the ports of your machines.
The third layer is the first “software” layer where, now, we need software configured to utilize the lower 2 layers. The Internet calls this IP or Internet Protocol. You must set IP addresses at each machine for the network to exchange IP Packets. The IP Packet has a structure it and fits within an ethernet frame. There is a relationship between the ethernet frame address and the IP address of the machine. IP takes cares of figuring this out. It is at this layer, without understanding this layer, where things cannot simply be “plugged in”.
A “router” understands this IP layer and is able to “route” packets around the networks as needed. It also, most commonly, runs a service called a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) which is responsible for dynamically assigning IP addresses to machines. Almost all machines, when the ethernet port goes active, runs a DHCP client, which uses an ethernet broadcast frame to find and request an IP address. This makes the configuration of the IP layer auto-negotiated which is why you’ve never had to deal with it. But, if your machine cannot find a DHCP response then you don’t have an IP layer. You don’t have access to the IP network on your ethernet port.
There are a number of layers above IP I’ll skip before getting to the application. In this case of Roon to AirLens the application is Roon Advanced Audio Transport (RAAT). RAAT needs a couple of these missing layers and the IP layer and the ethernet layer etc. in order to function and show your AirLens in the Audio settings.
You can configure these required software layers manually and then plugging a cable directly between the AirLens and your Roon Server will work. But, without knowing how to configure these things, just make sure everything is plugged into the router and be done with it. Let the router handle configuring all these layers for you.
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The Airlens is a network device. It needs to be connected to the same local area network as the computer running Roon.
Depending on how fast the amber led is blinking (different speeds mean different things - check the manual) it may be telling you it is waiting for a connection. Normal in this case as you don’t seem to have your Airlens on the network.
As others have mentioned, the switch won’t be doing much for you unless it is connected to the network.
Does your computer have internet access? Can it see other devices on your network?
I can’t see how it could if the switch it is connected to is not connected to the network - unless your computer has a WiFi connection?
In which case you may not want it connected to your switch when the switch is connected to the network. It would be redundant to have your computer connected to the network via ethernet cable AND WiFi.
Just for testing purposes, can you connect your Airlens to you router directly via ethernet cable?
Once you have that going and proven that your AirLens works, then you can try to get the Airlens connected to the network via WiFi.
Yes!
Thanks for the diagram @terzinator
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no sweat. It’s cold outside and the dog wants no part of a walk, so I had a few extra minutes in my extremely busy day 
(Just to give you an idea how busy I am, I now have to spread cream cheese on a slice of ham, wrap it around a pickle, and play Led Zeppelin III.)
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Minnesota sushi.
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you are from these parts, Elk? or just familiar?
Networking requires a router. There is no networking without a router. The sooner you accept this, the sooner you will move forward.
Sounds like good times!
I can’t decide if the suspense of this thread is killing me, or reading it.
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I’m in the same boat.
I hope @richardmallory can connect a wire from his router to his switch. That last step will surely solve his problem.
I’d love to hear if he gets it solved.
There will be an answer
Let it be
Two devices, connected to a switch, with no router, will not work. Two devices, connected to each other with an Ethernet cable, will not see each other. A router is required.
Well, not entirely true. It will work but there is a fair bit of manual config at play to make it work and, if someone lands here before understanding that then… “router” is the answer.
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You were so not my target audience.
(Try to keep things in the realm of simple advice instead of advanced theory)
(but I used an Ethernet cable between the two devices!)
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to be fair… i’ve not been here in a while. Always good advise 
Happy to see people enjoying their ArLens.
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My first AirLens had to be returned to PS when they determined it to be defective. The replacement is something of an improvement, but still does not work. The AL, computer, and WiFi router are all connected to an Ethernet switch. The green Status LED on the rear of the AL is illuminated. Roon does not show the AL as a choice in Roon under Settings > Audio as was shown in a screen shot I was sent. Should the AL automatically appear as a choice in Roon or is some configuration required on my part?
Yes, it should show up automatically with a button next to it that you must press to enable roon to use the airlens.
The green status LED on the airlens means it has an internet connection, which is good.
What music streaming service do you subscribe to? If it is Tidal or Spotify, since Airlens is compatible with those applications too, perhaps it would be worth trying to connect using one of those apps to see what happens.